The best cars to drive off-road

Look around and you’ll see all kinds of over-the-top, mud-covered 4x4s with winches, snorkels and stickers declaring ‘One life, live it’ – but the truth is, you don’t need all that for routine off-road driving. What if you just want something that can cope with a farm track, a grassy field, or a beach? SUVs have become so popular now that many family cars are also quite good off-road.

When looking for used cars for sale, UK buyers have a vast selection of affordable options. To be a good car to drive off-road it needs to have a few things that not every SUV-shaped car has as standard though; you can’t assume that every Range Rover Evoque or Land Rover Discovery Sport is four-wheel drive for example.

Here’s how to find the best cars to drive off road, and some worth seeking out. Remember to check the MOT history of any used cars you’re looking at, as it can tell you more than the seller may be letting on – or even knows, if they’re a dealer.

Choosing the right off-road car:

1: Look at the angles and the ground clearance

On a 4×4, the most vital specs aren’t the power and 0-60 times. Ground clearance, and approach and departure angles are what really matter. Look at the height and length of the bumper’s lowest, furthest forward point and the angle to the lowest point of the nearest wheel – that’s the limit of what you can climb. Good off-road cars have high bumpers, short overhangs and lots of space. If your SUV has clearance, it won’t matter if it’s front-wheel drive for many tracks.

2: Look for the right modes and gears

If you want to drive on more varied surfaces, you’ll want some supporting technology. Drive modes provide the answer – cars such as Peugeot’s 3008 and 5008 are available with grip control, and 4x4s like the Range Rover Evoque include special modes for snow, sand and mud on some models. For many off-road drivers the feature that proves most useful is Hill Descent Control – it avoids locking up the wheels and controls the speed on tricky downhill bits for you, a great option for you to go stylish and protect your car at the same time with Range Rover side steps. You’ll find it on a wide variety of cars now, but it first appeared on the Land Rover Freelander.

3: All-wheel drive is a must for mud

You can get Dacia Dusters with 4×4, and Land Rovers without it. Just because it looks like an SUV or off-road car, doesn’t mean it’s ready for everything, so make sure you’re looking at the all-wheel drive version if you want to drive on the slipperiest surfaces. A Duster will handle a farm track or a dry green lane perfectly well, but the minute that track has been covered in mud you’ll be stuck at the first hurdle.

For regular off-road driving, it’s worth looking for cars that feature locking differentials as well as all-wheel drive. They ensure that if one or two wheels lose traction you’ll still have drive to the wheels with grip. The best cars for this are the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen and most double cab pickups such as the Mitsubishi L200 Warrior or Barbarian.

4: Tyres make a big difference

Whatever your off-road plans, make sure you have the right tyres. Mud & Snow tyres will get a front-wheel drive car out of situations where a four-wheel drive on summer road tyres will get stuck. It’s also worth having steel wheels if you want to go on rougher tracks – there’s no real advantage to the driving, but it’s a lot cheaper if they get damaged.

Places to drive off road

While we’re considering most off-road driving is for things like parks, caravanning and car booting, or work-related things like building sides, farming or surveys, there’s an active community of drivers who like to use the UK’s network of byways open to all traffic for leisure. The organisation promoting responsible use of these – and providing maps with guidance on access – is the Green Lane Association (GLASS), and it’s worth joining particularly if you rely on the car for leisure and freedom.

What’s the best car to drive off-road, then?

For most users, the best car to drive off-road is actually a pickup. The popularity of double cab 4×4 pickups is because they’ve got room for a family, space for stuff, can tow easily, and have excellent ground clearance. They’re often more affordable than big 4x4s, and have diff locks and appropriate tyres as standard. The Ford Ranger is particularly refined after 2018, the Mitsubishi L200.